Marco Festa-Bianchet

Former Graduate Students and some of their current activities

Elise Rioux-Paquette, M.Sc. 2010. Inbreeding, survival and physical development in bighorn sheep. In September 2010, Elise began a Ph.D. on male reproductive success of eastern grey kangaroos. The lamb (male N2) weighed 6 kg on May 28, 2008, at about one week of age. In September 2009 N2 had grown to 52 kg and by September 2010 he was about 66 kg. His mother is ewe F1, 8 years old in 2008.  In 2009, F1 had a daughter (O11) and in 2010, another son (P18).  All were alive in September 2010. And here are F1 and N2 in summer 2008 (Elise took this picture)
	Marco Rughetti, Ph.D. 2011 Ecology and management of Alpine chamois. Female # 25 was caught in the Ischiator Valley in Piedmont, Italian Alps, at 2300 m elevation.  In summer 2007 she was 8 years old and nursing a kid.
Julien Martin, Ph.D. 2010. Female reproductive strategies in ungulates.  Julien is now doing a postdoc on the evolutionary ecology of yellow-bellied marmots at UCLA. Ewe Green P (i6) was 3 years old in 2006, when she gave birth but her lamb died neonatally.  Her male lamb from 2007 died during winter.  In 2008, she had a healthy male lamb (N5) that survived to 2009.  Her daughter born in 2009, however, disappeared in September.  In 2010 she had a late-born male lamb that survived to September.

Aurélie Bourbeau-Lemieux, 2010 M. Sc. Population ecology of bighorn sheep. Co-supervised with Fanie Pelletier, Université de Sherbrooke.  Aurélie is now a research assistant at McGill University in Montréal. Female lamb #334 weighed 32 kg in late October 2007.

Paulo Corti, 2008 Ph.D. Social organisation, population dynamics and conservation of huemul deer in Chilean Patagonia.  Paulo is now an Adjunct Professor in Valdivia, Chile.

Pam Hengeveld, 2008 M.Sc. Management of bighorn sheep in British Columbia.  Pamela is now a biological consultant in northern BC.

Dallas Plensky, 2007 M.Sc.  Selective effects of trophy hunting in 'California' bighorn sheep in interior British Columbia.

Jean-François Aublet, 2007 M.Sc. Ibex foraging and thermoregulatory behavior Male ibex LBLGR was 10 years old and disappeared during winter 2006 at age 13. Jean-François survived that winter and several subsequent ones, he now works for Environment Canada,

Jean-Francois Thérrien, 2006 M.Sc., co-supervised with Steeve Côté, Université Laval. Effects of summer nutrition on maternal allocation of white-tailed deer in captivity.  JF is now working on his Ph.D. at Université Laval

Émilie Largo, 2008 Ph.D., co-supervised with Jean-Michel Gaillard, Université de Lyon.  She worked on the population dynamics of ibex in several national parks in France and Italy.  Émilie is now a project manager with an epidemiological research company in Lyon, France. Dynamique comparée des populations de bouquetin des Alpes (Capra ibex) et implication pour le suivi de ces populations

Patrick Bergeron, M.Sc. 2007. M.Sc. Stratégies de croissance et determinants du rang hiérarchique chez le bouquetin des Alpes (Capra ibex). The inventor of the world-famous laser remote measuring device ("La patente"), Patrick is now a Ph.D. student at the U. de Sherbrooke, working with eastern chipmunks.

Chiarastella Feder. 2006. M.Sc.  Effets de la date de naissance, des caractéristiques maternelles et de l’environnement sur la croissance, la masse et la survie du mouflon d’Amérique (Ovis canadensis). Chiara is now a biologist with Alberta Fish & Wildlife in Rocky Mountain House.

Fanie Pelletier. 2005. Ph.D. Stratégies de reproduction des mâles du mouflon d’Amérique (Ovis canadensis).  After a Postdoct at Imperial College, London, Fanie is now an Assistant Professor at the Université de Sherbrooke.  Male lamb 638 was caught on October 28, 2003.  He was killed by a cougar a year later.

Achaz von Hardenberg, 2005 Ph.D. Sénescence, sélection sexuelle et dynamiqe de population du bouquetin des Alpes (Capra ibex).  (Senescence, sexual selection and population dynamics of Alpine ibex). Achaz is now a biologist with the Gran Paradiso National Park, Italy. 10-year-old male ibex "Zorro" was caught at 2800 m a.s.l. in July 2000.  He died in August 2005, aged 15 years.

Ghulam Ali Awan, 2004 Ph.D. An analysis of critical factors influencing population persistence of Punjab urial (Ovis vignei punjabiensis) in the wild. Co-supervised with Dr. Tahira Ahmad, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, and Dr. Richard Garstang, WWF-Pakistan.  Awan is now a Wildlife Technician for the Nunavut Government in Igloolik.

Todd Powell. 2004 M.Sc. Réponse comportementale des caribous des bois au harcèlement par les motoneiges. (behavioral responses of woodland caribou to snowmobile harassment). Todd is a biologist with the Yukon government in Whitehorse.

Yanick Gendreau. 2003 M.Sc. Effets des caractéristiques maternelles sur la croissance et le développement social post-sevrage chez la chèvre de montagne (Oreamnos americanus). (Effects of maternal characteristics on postweaning growth and social development in mountain goats). Co-supervised with Steeve Côté, Université Laval. After working for several years as a wildlife biologist, Yanick is now a Ph.D. student at the Université du Québec in Rimouski, Québec Goat 249, a 2-year-old male, was captured June 9, 2001.  He weighed 42.7 kg , and had gained another 20 kg by August 2.  He disappeared in June 2003 at 4 years of age.

Mario Villemure, 2003 M.Sc. Écologie et conservation du loup dans la région du Parc National de La Mauricie (Ecology and conservation of wolves in the region of La Mauricie National Park).  Mario is a Park Warden and Ecologist in La Mauricie National Park. Wolf pup "Julie" was killed by a trapper in autumn 2000

Nancy Mckenzie. 2003 M.Sc. Reproductive strategies of young bighorn ewes (Ovis canadensis).  Her description of the lamb: g1, female, Mother: 48w (10 yrs), her 5th lamb Hair brown to grey depending on season Eyes: dark G1 disappeared overwinter

Pierrick Blanchard. 2002 Ph. D. Survivre pour se reproduire: rôle de la condition individuelle dans les tactiques de reproduction chez le mouflon américain (Ovis canadensis) (Individual condition and reproductive strategies in bighorn sheep). Co-supervised with Jean-Michel Gaillard, CNRS - Lyon (France). Pierrick is now a professor (Maître de conférence) at the Université de Toulouse in France. Ram 15w disappeared overwinter as a 9-year-old.

Tristan Welp. 2001. M.Sc. Les mesures de la peur chez la vache laitière (Measuring fear in dairy cows). Co-supervised with A.M. de Passillé, Agriculture and Agri-food Canada. Tristan is a radiation safety officer at the McGill University Hospital Center in Montréal. I suspect the cow was eaten.

Mylène Leblanc. 2001. M.Sc. La densité de population et le climat: effets sur le dimorphisme sexuel, la masse corporelle et les changements saisonniers de masse du mouflon d'Amérique. (Effects of density and weather on sexual dimorphism, mass and seasonal mass changes in bighorn sheep). Mylène now works for a consulting company in Sherbrooke.

Alejandro Gonzalez. 2000. M.Sc. Gestion des populations de chèvres de montagne: recensements et dynamique des populations. (Population dynamics, census techniques and management of mountain goats). Alex completed a a Ph.D.  in Mexico and is now a postdoc in Spain.

Nathalie Pelletier. 2000. M.Sc. Stratégies reproductrices des femelles du spérmophile de Columbie (Spermophilus columbianus). (Reproductive strategies of female Columbian Ground squirrels).

Steeve Côté. 1999. Ph.D. Dominance sociale et traits d'histoire de vie chez les femelles de la chèvre de montagne. (Social dominance and life-history traits in mountain goat females) Steeve is now a Full Professor at Université Laval in Québec City and heads the mountain goat research program. Check out his web page.

Chantal Gaboury. 1999. M.Sc. Facteurs motivant le changement de tétine chez le veau (Bos taurus). (Factors motivating milk calves to switch teats) Cosupervised with Anne-Marie de Passillé, Agriculture et Agro-alimentaire Canada.

Stéphane Demers. 1999. M.Sc. L'asymétrie fluctuancte au niveau des anneaux de croissance des cornes des mouflons d'Amérique (Ovis canadensis). (Fluctuating asymmetry in yearly growth annuli in bighorn sheep horns).  Stéphane is a wildlife biologist in Québec.

Bruno Gallant. 1999. M.Sc. Rétardement dans l'âge de primiparité chez le mouflon d'Amérique (Ovis canadensis): corrélats et conséquences. (Correlates and consequences of delayed primiparity in bighorn sheep).  Bruno is now a biologist with the Canadian Food Inspection Service in Moncton, New Brunswick.

Kathreen Ruckstuhl. 1998. Ph.D. L'écologie du comportement alimentaire et la socialité chez le mouflon d'Amérique, Ovis canadensis. (Sociality and foraging behavior of bighorn sheep). Kathreen is now an Assistant Professor at the University of Calgary. She is conducting research on foraging behavior and sociality of ungulates and fish. See her web page.

Céline Bérubé. 1993. M.Sc. L'investissement maternel selon le sexe du jeune chez le mouflon des Rocheuses (Ovis canadensis). (Sex-specific maternal investment in bighorn sheep 1997. Ph.D. Les stratégies d'adaptation vitale chez les brebis du mouflon d'Amérique (Ovis canadensis): la reproduction en fonction de l'âge. (Life-history strategy in bighorn ewes: age-specific reproduction) Céline is now a Research Officer with NSERC in Ottawa.

Nathalie L'Heureux. 1993. M.Sc. L'effet du sexe et de la maladie ecthyma contagieuse sur le développement social et physique des jeunes mouflons des Rocheuses (Ovis canadensis). (Effects of sex and of contagious ecthyma on social and physical development of young bighorn sheep) Nathalie now teaches biology at the CEGEP (Junior College) de Longueuil

Christine Portier. 1997. Ph.D. (Université Paris 6). Soins maternels et dynamique des populations d'ongulés: approches aux niveaux intra- et interspécifiques. Cosupervised with J.-M. Gaillard (Lyon). (Maternal care and ungulate population dynamics: intra- and interspecific approaches)

Martine Haviernick. 1996. M.Sc. La stratégie alimentaire de la chèvre de montagne (Oreamnos americanus): étude de l'utilisation de l'habitat et du comportement anti-prédateur. (Foraging strategy of mountain goats: habitat use and antipredator behavior).

Karine Picard. 1996. M.Sc. Étude expérimentale du transfert de chaleur à travers les cornes chez les bovidés: description et implications évolutives. Cosupervised with Don Thomas. (An experimental study of heat transfer through bovid horns: description and evolutionary implications). Karine is now a biologist with the Canadian Wildlife Service in Québec City. 

François Fournier. 1994. M.Sc. Les comportements agonistiques et la dominance chez la chèvre de montagne (Oreamnos americanus). (Agonistic behaviors and dominance in mountain goats). François is now a biologist with the Canadian Wildlife Service in Québec City.

Postdoctoral Fellows and research associates

Mauro Lucherini (Laurea, Milano, Italy): 1992-1993 (fellowship from the Italian Foreign Affairs Ministry). Life-history strategies of bighorn sheep.  Mauro is now a lecturer in Baia Blanca, Argentina.

Richard Bon (Ph.D. Toulouse, France): 1993-94 (fellowship from the French Foreign Affairs Ministry). Evolution of sociality in ovids.  Richard is now a lecturer in Toulouse, France.

Denis Réale (Ph.D. Rennes, France): 1997-1999 (fellowship from the Fyssen foundation (France)). Heritability of morphological and life-history traits in bighorn sheep.  Denis now holds a Canada Research Chair in Behavioral Ecology at the Université du Québec a Montréal.  Check out his website.

David Coltman (Ph.D. Dalhousie): 2000 (NSERC fellow). Co-supervised with Dr. Curtis Strobeck, University of Alberta. Genotype, selection and evolution of morphological and life-history traits in bighorn sheep. Here he relaxes watching bighorn sheep at Ram Mountain. Dave is now a Professor at the University of Alberta, and a key collaborator on bighorn sheep and mountain goat research.

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